Razor blade receptacle and dispenser



Aug. 9, R HUNT RAZOR BLADE RECEPTACLE AND DISPENSER Filed Jan. 18, 1965INVENTOR. ROBERT J. HUNT E WN m J A United States Patent 3,265,197 RAZORBLADE RECEPTACLE AND DISPENSER Robert J. Hunt, 729 27th Ave., SanFrancisco, Calif. Filed Jan. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 426,100 Claims. (Cl.206-16) This invention relates to a receptacle and dispenser forsharp-edged, thin objects. It is particularly adapted for use as areceptacle and dispenser for razor blades and provides a convenientdevice for removing used 'blades from the razor and receiving them withmaximum safety.

The razor blade has, of course, long been a useful tool, and it has beenconstantly improved, improvements in dispensing the blades have beenmade, but relatively little effort has been made to provide a means forremoving a used blade from a razor and receiving it with maximum safety.Because of the potential danger in handling a used blade, structure forremoving and receiving it conveniently and safely is desirable.

The prior art has offered various means for removing used razor blades.The following United States patents are examples of the prior art: Dyer(1,912,627), Lashar (1,952,596), Sandford (2,094,722), and Breazeale(2,741,838). None of the prior art patents, however, oifer theadvantages of the present invention. In general, they clamp or pinch theblade prior to removing (Dyer), provide a magnet without an associatedchamber or depository for receiving the blade (Lashar), fail to providefor the direct pickup of the blade from its seat in the razor(Sandford), or require a prying up of the blade prior to removal fromthe razor (Breazeale). Each of the foregoing requirements decreases thesafety in removing the blade.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide areceptacle for a thin, sharp-edged object that is capable ofmagnetically lifting said object from its useful position so that it mayhe slid into protective cover with maximum safety and convenience.

Another object is to provide a receptacle for lifting a razor blade fromits seat in a razor and sliding the blade into protective cover withoutprying or pinching the blade.

Another object is to provide a receptacle for lifting and receiving aseries of thin, sharp-edged objects, said receptacle having an exposedsurface inclined with respect to the receptacle chamber and a localizedmagnetized area for maintaining engagement with the object.

It is another object to provide a receptacle as described above incombination with a dispensing chamber for dispensing new, unused blades.

Each of the above objects is fulfilled by the specific embodiment whichappears in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a razor, a blade seated therein, and thepresent invention being engaged with the blade for removing it from therazor.

FIG. 2 is a side view with a portion of the razor and receptacle cutaway showing the engagement of the blade with the receptacle.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the receptacle and razor blade showing theorientation of the blade and receptacle after removal of the blade fromthe razor but before the blade is slid into the receiving chamber.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the receptacle.

FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4.

The invention appears generally at in FIG. 1. It consists of a generallysix-sided housing including parallel sides 11, parallel edges 12, andparallel ends 13. Sides 11 include dispenser side 11a and receptacleside 11b. The length and width of the sides generally conform to thesize of razor blade 14, but each is slightly ice larger. The thicknessis about A to /2 the width of blade 14. The housing is divided bypartition 15 into dispensing chamber 16 and a receiving chamber 17.Dispensing chamber 16 is defined by partition 15 and dispenser side 11a.Receiving chamber 17 is defiined by partition 15 and receptacle side11b. A portion of each end of receptacle side 11b is removed to provideentryway 18 granting access to receiving chamber 17. A portion of ends13 is also removed to define dispensing passage 19, which communicateswith the dispensing chamber 16.

An inclined plane 20 extends from one edge of each end 13 to partition15. The spacing of ends 13 and inclined plane 20 is chosen so that thedistance between the joints formed by partition 15 and plane 20 isslightly in excess of the length of razor blade 14. The angle fromreceptacle side 11b to plane 20 is preferably 20-40".

Magnets 21 are provided on the interior side 22 of inclined plane 20.The magnets 21 are preferably centrally positioned on inclined plane 20as may be best seen in FIG. 4. They may consist of any small bar magnetand may be adhered to the interior side 22 of inclined plane 20 with anysuitable adhesive, or they may be soldered thereto.

The corners of the housing are recessed as best seen at 23 in FIGS. 1and 4. Thus a protruding end portion 24 is provided. Recesses 23accommodate hinged covers 25 of razor 26 as the inclined plane 20engages the end of blade 14 as best seen in FIG. 1. Thus the width ofprotruding end portions 24 must be less than the distance between hingedcovers 25 when opened.

Dispenser side 11a contains window 27 which exposes new blades 14' andprovides a passage through which blades 14' may be engaged and slidthrough dispensing passage 19 to be seated in razor 26 for use therein.

Having thus described the structure of the present invention, itsoperation may be readily understood with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.Blade 14 is exposed in razor 26 by opening hinged covers 25. Receptacle10 is then oriented as shown in FIG. 1 andinclined plane 20 is engagedwith one end of 'blade 14. Blade 14 is held to inclined plane 20 bymeans of magnets 21 and the blade may then be lifted from the razor 26in the direction of arrow A as shown in FIG. 2. After freeing blade 14from razor 26, it may he slid in the direction of arrow B, as shown inFIG. 3, into receiving chamber 17 After blade 14 is received byreceiving chamber 17, it is held therein by edge 27 of entryway 18 andinclined plane 20 since it cannot pass through entryway 18 without beingbent to negotiate edge 28 and inclined plane 20.

It may therefore 'be readily seen that the present invention provides asimple, convenient, and safe method for removing a razor blade andreceiving it in protective cover.

If desired, coil springs 28 may be provided to engage new blades 14' toprevent premature escape of blades 14 through dispensing passage 19.

It will be readily recognized that deviations may be made from thespecific embodiment shown, without departing from the scope of theinvention. For example, only one inclined plane 20, magnet 21 andassociated entryway 18 may be provided which merely restricts theusefulness of the invention to receiving used blades at one end only.However, it is preferred, but not critical, that two such magnetizedentryways be provided. A similar observation may 'be made concerningdispensing passage 19.

In addition, inclined plane 20 may itself be magnetized, whicheliminates the need for individual magnets 21 but does not depart fromthe scope of the present invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser which comprises: agenerally six-sided housing including two sides, two ends and two edges,said sides including a dispenser side and a receptacle side, a partitionbetween said sides and parallel thereto dividing said housing into areceiving chamber adjacent said receptacle side and a dispensing chamberadjacent said dispenser side, a window in said dispensing side providingaccess to said dispensing chamber, at least one of said ends defining adispensing passage communicating with said dispensing chamber, amagnetized inclined plane extending from at least one of said ends intosaid receiving chamber to said partition, said inclined plane definingan entryway with said receptacle side and being inclined at an angle of20-40 therefrom.

2. The combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser of claim 1further characterized for use with a razor having hinged covers whereinsaid sides, edges and ends define a recess at each corner of saidreceptacle and further define a protruding end portion having a widthless than the distance between said hinged covers of said razor blade.

3. A combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser which comprises: agenerally six-sided housing including two sides, two ends, and twoedges, said sides including a dispenser side and a receptacle side, apartition between said sides and parallel thereto dividing said housinginto a receiving chamber adjacent said receptacle side and a dispensingchamber adjacent said dispensing side, a window in said dispensing sideproviding access to said dispensing chamber, each of said ends defininga dispensing passage communicating with said dispensing chamber, amagnetized inclined plane extending from each of said ends into saidreceiving chamber to said partition, each of said planes defining anentryway with said receptacle side and being inclined at an angle of20-40 therefrom.

4. The combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser of claim 3 andat least one coil spring secured to said dispenser side and extendinginto said dispensing chamber.

5. A combination razor blade receptacle and dispenser, for use with arazor having hinged covers, which comprises: a generally six-sidedhousing including two sides, two ends, and two parallel edges, saidsides, edges and ends defining a recess at each corner of saidreceptacle and further defining a protruding end portion at each end ofsaid receptacle, said end portion having a width less than the distancebetween said hinged covers of said razor, said sides including adispenser side and a receptacle side, a partition between said sides andparallel thereto dividing said housing into a receiving chamber adjacentsaid receptacle side and a dispensing chamber adjacent said dispensingside, a window in said dispensing side providing access to saiddispensing chamber, each of said ends defining a dispensing passagecommunicating with said dispensing chamber, a magnetized inclined planeextending from each of said ends into said receiving chamber to saidpartition, each of said planes defining an entryway with said receptacleside and being inclined at an angle of 20-40" therefrom.

No references cited.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

5. A COMBINATION RAZOR BLADE RECEPTACLE AND DISPENSER, FOR USE WITH ARAZOR HAVING HINGED COVERS, WHICH COMPRISES: A GENERALLY SIX-SIDEDHOUSING INCLUDING TWO SIDES, TWO ENDS, AND TWO PARALLEL EDGES, SAIDSIDES, EDGES AND ENDS DEFINING A RECESS AT EACH CORNER OF SAIDRECEPTACLE AND FURTHER DEFINING A PROTRUDING END PORTION AT EACH END OFSAID RECEPTACLE, SAID END PORTION HAVING A WIDTH LESS THAN THE DISTANCEBETWEEN SAID HINGED COVERS OF SAID RAZOR, SAID SIZES INCLUDING ADISPENSER SIDE AND A RECEPTACLE SIDE, A PARTITION BETWEEN SAID SIDES ANDPARALLEL THERETO DIVIDING SAID HOUSING INTO A RECEIVING CHAMBER ADJACENTSAID RECEPTACLE SIDE AND A DISPENSING CHAMBER ADJACENT SAID DISPENSINGSIDE, A WINDOW IN SAID DISPENSING SAID PROVIDING ACCESS TO SAIDDISPENSING CHAMBER, EACH OF SAID ENDS DEFINING A DISPENSING PASSAGECOMMUNICATING WITH SAID